Minimally invasive surgical techniques such as endoscopies and laparoscopies are often preferred over traditional open surgeries because the recovery time, pain, and surgery-related complications are typically less with minimally invasive surgical techniques. In many laparoscopic procedures, the abdominal cavity is insufflated with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of approximately 15 mm Hg. The abdominal wall is pierced and a cannula or trocar that is approximately 5 to 10 mm in diameter is inserted into the abdominal cavity. Surgeons can then perform a variety of diagnostic procedures, such as visual inspection or removal of a tissue sample for biopsy, or treatment procedures, such as removal of a polyp or tumor or restructuring tissue.
Because of the rise in popularity of minimally invasive surgeries, there has been significant development with respect to the procedures and the instruments used in such procedures. For example, in some procedures a single incision at the navel can be sufficient to provide access to a surgical site. This is because the umbilicus can be a preferred way to access an abdominal cavity in a laparoscopic procedure. The umbilical incision can be easily enlarged without significantly compromising cosmesis and without significantly increasing the chances of wound complications, thus allowing multiple instruments to be introduced through a single incision.
In one common form of a single site laparoscopy procedure, an incision having a diameter of approximately 20 to 35 millimeters is formed and a surgical access device is disposed therein. The surgical access device forms a seal with the tissue of the opening and also forms a seal between the surgical site and the outside environment. The device typically includes a flexible retractor with one or more seal elements disposed in the retractor. Instruments can then be inserted into the seal elements for use at the surgical site while the seal between the surgical site and the outside environment is maintained. While having a surgical incision with a diameter of approximately 20 to 35 millimeters can improve the range of motion and access for instruments disposed in the surgical access device, and can also be quite useful for removing various specimen from the surgical site, it can sometimes require a significant amount of effort to close the surgical incision once the procedure is complete.
Accordingly, it would be desirable for a surgical access device, or a component of a surgical access device, such as a retractor, to include one or more features that help make closing the surgical incision in which the device was disposed easier.